Bundesliga footballers and other top athletes should not receive any special treatment when it comes to coronavirus vaccination, according to national team doctor Tim Meyer.

Mr. Meyer said on Saturday that the hygiene concept he helped develop was sufficient to play football in an orderly way, and that vaccination strategy had other clear priority groups in society.

“They are young and healthy footballers in the very last group,” Mr. Meyer said.

He said the same should apply for athletes at the European football championship or the Tokyo Olympics this year.

But the doctor also pointed out that it was up to politicians to decide “whether they would grant this for representatives of Germany.”

International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Dick Pound had recently suggested priority vaccination for Tokyo athletes to have a safe and secure Games in July and August.

However, vaccination is off to a slow start in countries, including Germany.

German Football League chief Christian Seifert and handball Bundesliga managing director Frank Bohmann have been among those who have also said that athletes should not get special treatment.